David Mallett was a singer-songwriter from Maine best known for his children’s folk composition, “Garden Song,” which has been widely covered by other artists, including a popular version by John Denver (1943–1997).
- Died: December 17, 2024 (Who else died on December 17?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 73.
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David Mallett’s legacy
If Mallett had only ever written one song in his life, “Garden Song,” he’d still have left a lasting legacy in music. The composition has become a modern children’s folk classic, covered by the likes of John Denver (who made the charts with it in 1979), Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul and Mary), Pete Seeger (1919–2014), Arlo Guthrie, and even the Muppets. There is also a picture book inspired by the song, “Inch by Inch: The Garden Song.”
But Mallett’s musical legacy spans beyond just one song. Over his decades in music, he released 17 albums of melodic folk and Americana, early accolades for his lyricism and sense of melody.
He began writing music while attending the University of Maine in the early 1970s. Playing gigs at local bars in Maine, Mallett cold-called Stookey and took him a demo tape. Impressed, Stookey invited the young artist to record his first tracks in his studio. For a time in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Mallett relocated to Nashville, a common destination for songwriters. He eventually returned to his home state of Maine, however, a setting that helped inspire LPs like “The Fable True – Stories from Thoreau’s the Maine Woods,” one of his 17 albums.
Mallett’s 2003 “Artist in Me” was named one of the best records of the year by the Associated Press, and 2009’s “Alright Now” was called a masterpiece by the Boston Globe. His sons, singers-guitarists Will and Luke Mallett, have continued their father’s musical legacy with The Mallett Brothers Band.
Tributes to David Mallett
Full obituary: Bangor Daily News
